Friday 16^th March, 2018 2040

It must be me.

I decided to boycott McDonald's, not because they keep running out of breakfasts before I get there so much as the shrugging of shoulders when I complain. If they can't be bothered then they don't deserve me as a customer, especially as I can make a better breakfast.

So I went to Pizza Hut to investigate a breakfast menu I never even knew they offered. Guess what? I asked for a ham and egg panini and they had none!!! Wondering just who the hell I have upset recently, I ordered an ordinary breakfast. Not without problems, no salt or pepper offered and I had to go to the kitchen to explain. The coffee was better than McD though. For the same price I received two scrambled eggs that were not scrambled but “Chinese” eggs – cracked, smashed and turned but edible nonetheless. I was rather expecting what was shown on the menu, which was bacon, sausage and eggs but got two bits of processed ham. And salad. Who the hell has salad for breakfast?? Maybe the Americans. I will know better next week as I will point out the components required. Amazingly the toast didn't taste of cake, it was almost bread although it was a palaver to obtain butter for it.

Overall, they just gained a Friday breakfast customer and McD have lost one. And it's not so far to walk.

I have to say I am not looking forward to next week, I was tired enough by the end of today but I can't complain, after all, I fought to keep my students. I cannot now moan that they acquiesced!

Then about an hour ago Alice asked to Skype, was it convenient? Well you know all the let-downs I have had over trips with Chinese girls. Except Alice is different, she came to visit me and has accompanied me on many occasions. I still felt I was in for bad news when I called her.

The problem was, she has the chance to apply for a short course studying at Heidelberg university in summer, about three weeks! If my UK trip was not to be then I would hardly blame her, it's an opportunity for a young Chinese woman that she should not miss. Well there was no way I was going to begrudge her that. The course finishes August 10^th but better still, although her family pay up front for flights and the course, upon her return Guangzhou university reimburse most, if not all, the costs. Can she meet me in England?

What???

Hold on a minute. I don't have to pay for her flight. That gives me options. I could be selfish and fly business class. Or I could fly economy and if she is going to Germany on a Schengen visa anyway, I could take her to see the Eiffel Tower on the way back! So many new possibilities opened up.

So I mentioned Paris to her.

This is a girl who has never left China. She is if her application is successful, going to Germany, then England and now I have offered her the chance to visit the romance capital, Paree. She will jump at it!

Do we have to go to Paris?

Er, no, but surely?

I want to see Scotland.

Scotland???? Really? Yep. You want to see Scotland instead of Paris? If it's ok?

Suits me! Looks as though I will fly economy after all and maybe have a slightly longer UK break than anticipated. Hometown area for a few days, whizz up north o'the border for a couple and then back to home territory. Great, I haven't had a lorne sausage in morning roll for donkeys' years! But where to go and how to get there? Caledonian sleeper train springs to mind, as do Oban, Inverness and the like as destinations (bugger the east coast, too much like Norfolk, flat as a witch's mammaries).

Wow, there's a turn-up. I won't know for sure until her application is accepted or not but I now find myself wanting her to go to Germany, it frees up more cash.

I know I complain a lot about the innate changeability in my life (actually I complain about everything in case you are blind) and sometimes planned trips never eventuate but hell, it sure as anything beats knowing you are going to Majorca for two weeks every July from now until you die!!